Lights will guide you home
by give-me-tvd
Summary: When things go out of plan, Caroline is willing to do anything to save the day. Post 5x22. how things could've gone that night.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, this by far is the longest thing I ever wrote. So get a cup of coffee, better some fresh juice because it's hot, and try to enjoy it. K?

"I can't come, Bonnie." Grams says. "You're not the only member of this family who knows how to make a sacrifice."

"What does that mean?" Bonnie asks, confused.

"It means that I'm gonna be fine." She says. "I found peace because I made sure you'll find yours." Her smile is comforting and assuring. And for a moment Bonnie has nothing to worry about.

"I don't understand."

"Not to your concern. Just know that I looked out for you." She says with a sad smile, and pulls her in her embrace. Bonnie knows that she is looking out for her, when didn't she?

"I love you, Bonnie." She says and her voice cracks at last as she feels her sobbing against her shoulder. "You stay strong."

"I love you." Bonnie whispers.

She takes a deep breath and wipes her tears away as she watches Grams walking to the light, finding her own peace. She wants to break down, to cry it all out; it's been long journey for her. But it's not over yet.

"Bonnie." Comes a whisper from behind.

She turns around to see Caroline, eyes tired and face pale. She realizes that she's not the only one suffering.

"Liv's learned the spell." She smiles. "It's only about time and he'll be back." She nods, trying to assure her.

"What about you?" She asks. Her face is blank and eyes wide as she starts to understand.

"I'll…" Bonnie says but stops. She can't lie on Caroline, she doesn't want to.

"You can't pass through yourself." She says as she takes a step closer. "You're the other side's anchor, when it goes down you…" She trails off as the truth sinks in.

She's going to lose her, again. But this time, it's forever.

Bonnie bites her lower lip and looks down, when she looks up again, Caroline _almost_ gasps at her face. Lips trembling and tears falling freely.

Without thinking, Caroline rushes to her and hugs her. She feels her hand holding her tight, fingers dipping into her skin. She feels her burying her face in her golden hair, and she holds her closer.

They let it out, both of them. Crying and sobbing. Memories of their friendship floating around. It's not the first time that they lose each other, but maybe because it's the first time they know before it actually happens.

Bonnie didn't know that Caroline would die in the hospital that night. Caroline didn't know that when Bonnie told her 'I love you' in their graduation it was her semi-goodye. They never said goodbye.

They pull apart and Caroline takes Bonnie's hands in her own. "This- there mus-we can-it can't-" Caroline can't even get any words out; she knows that this's it.

Bonnie watches her friend breaking. Her eyes are red from crying twice at the same day, lips trembling and cheeks wet.

"Hey. It's okay." She says as she puts her hand on her shoulder. "I've had enough; I've had a full life. I had you." Her voice cracks in the middle. She presses her lips to suppress another sob.

Caroline shakes her head and hugs her again. She thinks she can never let go.

She can't lose her.

She can't lose her too.

… …

The twins are sitting in the crypt, one alive and the other dead. Thanks to Caroline.

She knows that she shouldn't be here. She's quite aware of what she'd done and she knows that killing someone's brother isn't any good.

But she had to do it.

Liv looks up and closes her eyes. "What else do you want? Looking for another brother to kill?"

"I'm sorry for that." She says as she walks around, hands intertwined together, something she does when she's nervous. And if she isn't nervous for what's in her mind then when will she?

"I need your help." She says slowly with closed eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me." Luke says as he stands up.

"You killed my brother. Why would I help you, who are you gonna kill this time?" Liv shouts.

"I'm sorry about that okay?" Caroline shouts back. "But you wouldn't help us get him back."

She gets confused because of the way that Liv stares at her, just staring.

"Does he know that you have a thing for him?" She asks. And it takes Caroline off guard. Her eyebrows get furrowed and she looks at her as if she lost her mind, she even rolls her eyes and chuckles. But she stops in the middle of her fake act. She swallows hard because she can't run from it anymore.

"Do _you_ even know that you have a thing for him?" Liv asks, now aware of what's going on.

Caroline opens her mouth twice in attempt to defend herself, but nothing comes out. She ends up with her arms folded against her chest and a sigh leaving her lips.

"I _need_ your help." She says in a low voice. And Liv chews her lower lips.

"No, no Liv." Luke shouts knowing that she can't hear him. "You've already got stuck in this."

But she doesn't hear him. So she hears Caroline instead.

… …

"Even when you're dead you're broody?" Lexi sighs as she watches him sitting on the bench, eyebrows furrowed and elbows leaning on his knees.

"Bonnie won't make it." He says without looking up.

"I know." She says slowly. "That's why you have to pass quickly got it?"

"It will destroy Caroline." He says. It's clear as crystal after how he saw them crying together.

Lexi is about to tease him before she sees his face. She takes a deep breath and sits down next to him.

"But you'll be there to hold her together."

He looks up and sees her smiling, but he doesn't sound convinced.

"What if…?"

"You'll be there." She interrupts him firmly.

"And you'll help each other. You'll get through everything together." She smiles again as she holds his hand. "Because hell would be heaven if you're together."

He's about to roll his eyes about her dramatic words but something stops him. It's like his brain freezes and everything is clearer. He realizes that she's right. He'd go through hell for Caroline, and he would go through hell _with_ Caroline. Somehow she makes everything better.

He opens his mouth and stares at his feet. This isn't the right time for him to discover things, so he pushes it down.

… …

"Are you crazy?" The twins shout at the same time but only one of them is heard.

"You can do it; we did it before." Caroline tries to convince her as she holds the spell books in her hands. "Just read the spell."

"I know the spell that's not the problem. The problem is that I can't do it."

"But we did it before."

"You had a two thousand years old witch and three doppelgangers, can you bring me that?" She yells at her in disbelief.

"Qetsiyah was dead for most of those years and you can use something else." She says in a rush trying to convince her. "You can even use the death of the travelers, anything?" she sounds so desperate but it's not enough.

"I can't do this, Caroline. I'm sorry." She says as she sits down again.

"I have to start."

Caroline doesn't say anything as Liv starts to chant.

… …

It's been a while now since the spell had started. With Luke, Tyler and Enzo back to the living. Caroline stood by a close tree and observed everything. Her hand was playing with her necklace nervously while she waited for _him_.

"Elena, thank god." She says as she rushes to her friend. But something is wrong.

"No, Bonnie. Why would you do that? I can't leave without him." Elena says while crying.

"We'll find him."

"What's going on?" Caroline tries to understand. "Who are we missing?"

 _Stefan_.

"Where's Stefan?" She shouts.

Bonnie starts to cough. Her hands are covered with blood from her mouth, and she falls into Caroline's arms.

"Oh my god. Bonnie?" She shouts as she holds her. Bonnie tries to stand straight and in attempt to she leans on Caroline, leaving blood on her hand while doing so.

"I have to find him." Stefan says.

"No." Bonnie manages to say through her coughs of blood.

"I'll go find him." Stefan says as he starts to walk away.

"No, Stefan. You need to go back." Lexi shouts.

"I can't leave him."

"I'll go with you."

"No, no. you stay here till I come." He says and starts to run.

"No, Stefan" Bonnie shouts while Caroline is still holding her.

"What? What's happening? Where is he? Bonnie, tell me." Caroline freaks out with wide eyes.

"He went to find Damon."

"No." She whispers.

This can't be happening. This is not the plane. He's supposed to come back. This can't be happening.

"No." She whispers firmly. Eyes looking at the crypt where Liv and Luke are. She has to do it. Now.

… …

"She said she can't do it." Luke shouts while Liv keeps chanting. "Can't you see she's going weaker already?"

"She's going weak because Bonnie is going weak. If I continue from here she'll have more time." She shouts too.

"She can't do it but _you_ can." She says, her voice is getting calmer now.

"Why would I help you?" He says in case she forgot she killed him hours ago.

"Listen." She lets out a breath as she walks to him. "I'm sorry for what I did, but I have to save them. These people are my only thing; I can't let them… disappear."

He looks away with furrowed eyes.

"If this was about Liv, would you let her die?" She whispers.

He looks at her and sighs.

"Listen, I'm not asking you to go so far. If this will harm you or Liv then stop it. Okay?" She says.

"Fine."

… …

"No no no no." Damon says as he looks around. He's back. But his brother isn't.

"Damon." Elena sighs as she sees him.

"I was just trying to… she fell… I was just trying to…" His blue eyes are shining with fresh tears, shock finding its way to him.

"I have to find him." Lexi says.

"No, he told you to stay here." Bonnie tells her.

"No." Damon whispers to himself while Elena is busy hugging Alaric.

"I'll find him." Bonnie says as she reaches for Damon's hand. He looks down at her, tears threatening to fall. She's about to pull away but she feels too dizzy to move. She stumbles into Damon and he holds her. "Bonnie." He groans.

"I-I'm okay." She says as she stands straighter, only to fall back into his arms but this time unconscious.

Meanwhile inside the cemetery Caroline lies on the ground unconscious. Next to her is luke, chanting with his hands above handkerchief spoiled with Bonnie's blood, Caroline's blood next to it and Caroline's daylight ring in the middle.

His voice grow louder as the candles around them light brighter, wind going between them and moving everything except the spell contents and Caroline's body. When luke finishes the spell, he gasps for air, hands wiping away the blood from his nose. He looks at Caroline's body and wait for something. Anything.

… …

"What's happening?" Elena asks as she looks at Bonnie's body.

Damon can't take his eyes off Bonnie. His hands pushes her hair away from her face. "Come on, Bonnie." He whispers. And just like that her eyes shoot open. Her hands clutch to his shoulders as she grasps for air. And Damon takes a deep breath in.

"Bonnie Bennett, you scared the hell out of me." He says humorlessly.

… …

Her eyes open and she jerks off the ground, eyes turning around as she tries to catch up.

"What happened?" She asks. "Did it work?"

"There's only one way to find out." He says as he hands her a knife. She takes it quickly then slow down, she takes a moment before cutting her palm. And she waits.

She doesn't heal.

She stands up quickly and heads for the door. Then she turns around and looks at him.

"I'll try my best." He says.

She walks out and he take Liv's hands, who didn't stop chanting for a second. He starts chanting with her and their voices grow louder and louder.

… …

Damon helps Bonnie to stand up. For some reason she feels something is wrong. Something had changed. She looks around and her eyes grow wide.

Caroline looks at her from the cemetery's door, making sure that she's fine.

"Bonnie?" Damon says as he feels something wrong with her.

"Something is wrong." She says. Her eyes find Caroline and she notices her hand in instant, wound bleeding and not healing.

"Caroline?" She whispers.

"Which way?" She asks her with a smile.

"Caroline." She says again, louder.

Caroline doesn't answer her, she just titles her head and sighs with the same smile. "Which way?" she asks again.

Tears roll down Bonnie's cheek while no one around then understand anything.

"This way." She says and titles her head to the left.

She smiles and walks to where Bonnie told her.

… …

"Caroline?"

She turns around and sees Lexi in front of her. She doesn't say anything; she doesn't know what to say.

"What have you done?" Lexi asks, eyebrows furrowed and confusion filling her face.

"I have to find him." She smiles.

Lexi only shakes her head.

"Come on, you need to pass." Caroline says as she reaches out a hand.

"No. Not before him." She steps away from her.

"Lexi, you _have_ to pass. One of us has to be there for him."

Lexi opens her mouth but shuts it again. She's right.

Caroline tilts her head with her arm in front of her.

And Lexi takes her hand.

She passes.

She passes through the girl that should've been waiting for him. She doesn't want to think about it, how he will react when he finds out.

 _No more Caroline._

"I'll find him." Caroline says.

… …

She's walking through the woods, looking for him. The wind is getting stronger, almost preventing her from seeing.

She covers her eyes with her hands, trying to avoid the wind and walk through it. She sees something, someone. _Him_.

He walks towards her and she puts her hand down with relief.

"Stefan." She sighs.

He runs to hug her but stops few steps away from her. His eyebrows get furrowed as he looks at her face. Her eyes are shining with tears.

"Wait." He whispers. "How can you see me?"

She bites her lips and with a title of her head, he gets it. And he doesn't want to. He wants to be wrong. This can't be happening.

"Caroline?"

It's the way he says her name, the way it slips through his lips. It's his voice, deep but soft, turning her stomach upside down. She was afraid she'd never hear it again. Without knowing it tears are falling from her eye. Her lips are shaking as she tries to find words for… whatever the hell this is.

But she doesn't say anything.

She just stares back into his eyes, now red and filled with tears as well.

"Caroline." It's a whisper this time.

She smiles up at him, tears going through her lips and she tastes her own salty tears.

"Come on." She says. "You need to pass."

"No." He mutters in shock as he takes a step back.

"Stefan." She closes her eyes and takes a step closer.

She feels like someone stabbed her with a knife in the stomach as she sees his face. He's crying. Tears falling freely. _For_ _her_.

She wants to say something but she suddenly forgets how to speak.

"You'll be okay." She says. "Lexi is there and Damon. You'll be fine."

He shakes his head and stares at her.

"I'll be fine." She says.

"Caroline, I-" he shakes his head again, not knowing what to say.

"Just do me a favor, okay?" She puts on a smile although she's crying even harder. And with a step closer she takes in a shaky breath. "Don't forget about me, okay?"

He bites his lips and shakes his head.

"Don't forget about Caroline Forbes, okay?"

Her voice is soft; it reminds him of the girl he met at the bonfire years ago.

She stares at him and waits, waits for his word.

So he nods.

She lets out a sob and rushes to him, pulling him into her arms, while her hands cling to his shoulders. She closes her eyes and feels his arms hugging her back. And it's so strong. He never hugged her like that. He's more of holding her than hugging her.

He holds her, as if he can hide her from the world, from their fate.

She brushes her cheek against his shoulder and feels his hands going up and down on her back. And then she feels it.

She pulls back slowly and looks him up and down. Her hands move down his shoulders and his eyes follow them, till they land on her eyes.

"No." She says with wide eyes. "No no no no." She repeats as she keeps holding him over and over again.

He didn't pass.

His eyes fall closed and he lets out a breath that he's been holding. She's still trying; her hands feel warm against him as she holds his shoulder.

"No." She shouts in anger.

He holds her wrists in his hands and opens his eyes. His look hurts her even more; even now he's trying to make her feel better.

"No." She whispers.

… …

"No." Damon shouts as he storms into the crypt, eyes wide and searching for the twins. "Liv." He shouts.

Caroline walks in silently. Luke told her that he'd try his best.

"Damon." She says.

"This is your fault." He shouts as he turns around and points his finger at her. "If you didn't switch turns with Bonnie she would get to him in time."

"Damon." She says firmly. Her eyebrows get furrowed and she looks at him in confusion.

"And now you'll be gone as well."

His voice is softer, eyes wide looking at the ground as he takes it all in. This wasn't the plane.

She lets out a breath and closes her eyes. Then she turns her head slowly as she senses his presence. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't have to.

"He's here." She says.

He looks around and shakes his head.

Caroline turns around and starts to leave; she gives Stefan an understanding look before doing so.

Damon stumbles back and leans into the wall.

"We were supposed to have eternity, brother." He says.

Stefan only lets out a chuckle then sniffles to hold his tears.

"What we had was much better." He says while staring at him. And the fact that he can't see him or hear him makes it even worse. He takes a deep breath and steps closer to him. His hand is inches away from his shoulder while Damon is busy with looking at his feet.

He stares at his hand for few seconds before he finally holds him. One tear makes its way down his cheek when Damon feels it. He sees his brother looking down at his shoulder, eyes wide and mouth open, trying to say something but failing.

"Stefan I-"

"I know, Damon." Stefan smiles. "I know… brother."

His fingers hold him tighter before he lets go, for the last time.

… …

He steps out of the crypt and inhales deeply with closed eyes till he smells her scent.

She is leaning against the wall on his right. He looks at her and she's already staring. She opens her mouth and pushes her leg off the wall and turns around to meet him. He turns around fully and they're both staring at each other. She's just about to talk when someone calls her name.

They both turn around and see her. Lexi.

Caroline looks back at Stefan quickly, and his face is blank.

"Is he…?" She asks while looking around.

"He's here." She says and looks at where he's standing.

Lexi just sighs with tears in her eyes.

"Tell her to be good." Stefan says from behind Caroline with a tune of joking in his voice. And it makes her chuckle.

"He is telling you to be good."

She chuckles too.

"Stefan, I…" Her hands come up to her stomach as she takes a step closer. Tears already falling from her eyes, which somehow are looking directly into his.

He clinches his jaw and his hands turn into fists.

"Tell her…" He pauses as his voice fails him. It's barely above a whisper and it sends a shiver through Caroline's body, so she squeezes her eyes shut.

"Tell her that I'll be fine." He says.

Lexi nods trough tears when Caroline says it.

"And don't kill Damon." He smiles and so does she when she hears it.

He looks down at Caroline and she smiles at him. They don't know what to say. What do people say in such situations?

He opens his mouth to say something, but then he's looking at something behind her. She turns around to see Bonnie.

"Bonnie." She lets out a breath as the Bonnie walks to her. Stefan puts his hands in his pockets and with a smile he walks away to leave them alone.

"I don't know what to say." Bonnie says through a sob as Caroline falls into her embrace.

"It's okay." Caroline says, voice soft and eyes closed.

"I've had enough. I had you." She says.

She pulls back, hands falling down from her shoulder to hold her hands. "It's okay, Bonnie. I'll be okay. Be happy okay? Live and enjoy your life." Her smile is bright and big.

"And tell mom that I love her, okay?" She lets out a laugh.

Bonnie only nods.

She pulls back and walks away.

… …

Bonnie walks into the crypt and sees Damon on the ground, Elena's arms around him as she strokes his hair. But he isn't there. His eyes are staring at the ground. His eyes are empty.

He looks up at her and his eyes go wide, asking her one question.

"It's over." She whispers.

He runs out of the crypt, shouting Stefan's name as he looks around like a mad man.

"BROOOOTHER." He shouts angrily.

"Don't leave me." He whispers.

His eyes find Caroline, standing alone. She looks at them as they gather behind Damon. Elena, Tyler, Alaric and Lexi. With Bonnie standing next to Damon.

She smiles through the wind. She can barely stand still. She watches them as they fade, and no one is there any more. She stands alone.

Until he comes. The voice of his footsteps calm her down. It's so familiar; it takes her back to all those times he found her. When they were just about to start the night and laugh next to the bonfire. This time is different, there's no bonfire, in fact it's so cold. She can tell there won't be much laughter. And it's sure as hell not the beginning of a night.

"This place is going down, isn't it?" He asks as he stands next to her.

"It is."

She looks at him and opens her mouth, it's now or never. His look tells her that he knows what she wants to say, as always.

"I'm sorry." She says and he shakes his head, just about to interrupt before she goes on. "I should've been faster."

This time she manages to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry that you had to do it." He says back.

She reaches out to his eyebrows, her fingers easing between them, wiping away the broody look. And they smile.

"Stefan, I-"

She pauses.

"You-"

Deep breath.

He watches as she struggles to find something to say. Only if he knew that she just doesn't know how to say it.

"Knowing you was the best thing that ever happened to me." She says and he smiles. "You, Stefan Salvatore, are the best thing that ever happened to me." She nods nervously as she lets it out. And it shocks her that this is the best she can do, the farther she can go. His gaze makes her even nervous. She wants to say something; this is the last conversation ever between them. It's now or never.

But she finds herself looking away and staring into the light in front of them.

"At least we know, that till my last breath… I won't forget about Caroline Forbes." His voice is a whisper and she can barely hear it in the middle of the wind. But she hears it perfectly.

She looks back at him and smiles, takes in what's in front of her. A genuine smile instead of a broody look while the wind messes up his hero hair.

She is not the first, neither is he. They reach for each other's hand at the same moment. And they hold each other.

The wind gets stronger suddenly and it pushes them a step back. But their hands never apart. Her other hand goes up to his jacket and holds him firmly while his other hand wraps around her back. She moves closer to his embrace and his other hand let go of her own only to move to her hair. He feels how her strands go through his fingers before he pulls her closer. Her head now against his neck.

She closes her eyes as she feels one of his hands on her hair and the other on her back, as if he's hiding her in his arms.

They both close their eyes and wait.

He feels her fingers holding his jacket much stronger, so he tightens his grip around her.

"Scared?" He whispers.

"No." she says. "I'm with yo-"

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So part 2 is finally done! This is kinda short and not very steroliny but I wanted to put things together at first. Next one is supposed to be long and pure Steroline. Enjoy! :))

… …

He groans against the pillow as he hears the curtains being opened. He doesn't bother to look up , he knows it's her. Again.

"Wake up, sunshine." Her voice shatters any idea of going back to sleep. He got rid of that voice years ago, and god can't he just kill her again?

It looks like no, since she's the last thing remaining from his brother. And she's the only one helping him to get him back.

"Wake up." She shouts this time.

He looks up and his eyes hurt him, seeing her blond hair shinning under the morning light.

"Just because we're working together doesn't mean I'm gonna clean you up. Ugh how are you living in this place?" She says with such disgust as she looks at the room. She can barely see the floor in the middle of all the empty blood bags, empty beers, clothes all over the place.

"I killed you once, I can do it again and I won't think twice."

His voice is muffled with sleep. Yet the threat works just fine.

"Great, but first you should come up with an excuse to tell your brother when he asks about me." She wiggles her eyebrows with her arms against her chest.

"Funny thing he told _me_ not to kill _you_." She rolls her eyes.

He groans again and switches his head so he isn't facing her. But she has no time for Mr. Damon not being a morning person.

"I said wake up. We gotta work." It's only two seconds before she pulls the covers off of him, and for her relieve he's decent.

"Hey." He shouts with anger as he leans on his elbows, facing her.

"If you want to see me naked, you should ask."

He gets smashed with a pillow in the face as a response.

… …

Elena Gilbert walks into her first class with a big smile. The class is empty but Alaric is already there, being the professor and all.

"Morning." She smiles.

"Hey." He manages to say after a loud groan.

"You okay?" Her eyebrows get furrowed as she observes the coffee in his hand.

"Hangover."

"Huh… So, I get that you and Damon had fun last night." She tries to hide her need to know some information but it's still awkward.

"Well, if by fun you mean drowning into depression… Then yeah. Totally." He smiles.

She presses her lips, deciding not to go any further. What a way to start your first day at school?!

… …

"Hey, Tyler."

He turns around and sees Elena Gilbert running towards him, passing through people getting out of classes. The hall is crowded right now.

"Elena." He greets her back with a smile.

"So," She beams as she holds him a poster of the football match. "Wanna come?"

"You don't even like football." He shakes his head.

"I don't. But I like drinking free beer before the game." She smirks and winks at him.

"I don't know, Elena." He sighs.

"Come on, Ty. It'll be fun." She sighs too. "We'll tell Matt and we can hang out together." She whines.

"I'm not sure that Matt is available for us, he got some training tonight."

"Someone really should give him the memo that Mystic Falls couldn't be any safer right now." She remarks as she still doesn't understand what he is doing.

"Well, that _'someone'_ won't be me."

"Anyway, that actually means that you have to come. Come on, Tyler. I'm bored. When was the last time we had actual fun?" She raises her eyebrow at him and feels victories that he can't remember. "Besides, Liv will be there." She nudges him and he can't help it but smile.

"Don't you think it will be insensitive? I mean, what if the sheriff knows? That will be awkward." He whispers as if he's saying something forbidden.

She shakes her head with a sigh.

"Tyler, it's been four months, I'm sure the sheriff wants us to live our lives." She pauses with a smile. "I'm sure Caroline would want that too."

"And Stefan." He raises his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I mean both." She nods quickly.

"And what about Damon?"

He asks as he turns around, now both of them walking side by side. He feels her tensing for a moment before she answers.

"Damon is not Damon anymore, or maybe he is. I don't know." She shakes her head. "All what I know is that he doesn't care about anything except getting Stefan back." She sighs.

"He's his brother, Elena."

"It's been four months." She stops in her spot, making him turn to face her in return. "I'm just getting worried, you know?"

He nods in understanding.

"Hey did you hear from Bonnie?" He asks with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, we talked yesterday." She pauses as she catches his look. "And no, I didn't tell Damon."

"I didn't say anything." He raises his hands in defense. "I just find it weird that he's getting mad trying to find her and you're not even telling him that you _talk_."

"Now you're team Damon?" She asks with much confusion, eyebrows furrowing and eyes narrowing.

"No, but I'm team bring Stefan and Caroline back."

"She can't help, okay? Not this time." She looks down as she starts walking again. "What do you want me to do? She literally asked me not to tell Damon." She shrugs and he shakes his head.

… …

Matt is walking through the streets of Mystic Falls. It has been a while since the place was this _normal_. He knows that. But yet he can't help it but prepare for something. Prepare for the war that had ended long time ago.

Sometimes, he wonders if it's his unconscious mind and it misses the battle. He can't figure it out. All what he knows is the feeling he has every time he walks in a late hour in an empty street. Looking behind to make sure that there is no creature with fangs lurking around.

Maybe he will never get used to it.

… …

He's sitting on his bar stool, new house, new kitchen, new booze. He puts the bottle down as he hears the same words for the millionth time this summer.

 _It's Bonnie. Leave me a message._

"So when are we gonna have a real mature conversation in which I won't scream at you in a voice mail?"

He lets out a breath.

"What are you doing, Bonnie?" he closes his eyes as lets an even deeper breath. "I'm the one who abandons people remember?"

He shakes his head with a smile.

"You need me, Bonnie, now more than ever." His voice is serious now, trying to reach for her. "And I need you too." That one is hardly above a whisper of course. "Even like this."

"Just call me, okay?"

He puts down the phone with his typical frown. He's getting tired, and he is so close to giving up. But he can't, as long as he can breathe and be alive and well. Besides, what else would he do other than trying to bring his brother back?

… …

"So, tomorrow at ten." The guy says as he puts on his jacket and got ready to leave the already empty bar. "You sure you don't need help?"

"I'm fine."

Her voice comes up two seconds before her head pops out of the bar. Sounds of glasses being put in their place. She puts the cloth on the bar and gives him a polite smile.

"Well, good night, Bonnie."

"Good night, Jack."

She takes a deep breath before she hears her phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulls it out to see Damon's name. She looks away, licking her lips. She shakes her head slowly and puts it back into her pocket.

She takes off her apron and put it aside. Taking a moment to stare at the ring in her hand. Her finger plays with it for few seconds, her eyes staring at it. But her mind is clearly elsewhere. She blinks several time as she takes a deep breath, her hand falling down to her side as she walks to turn off the lights.

She pulls her jacket and bag and shuts the door behind her as she goes home.

… …

The voice of the door cracking open is louder than it should be, same with the keys as she puts them on the table. Even her steps echo through the walls of her empty house.

She glances at the frame on the table, her little girl beaming as she hugs her tightly.

Dead husband, dead daughter. She feels it in the cold breeze, in the dark house, in the silence between the rooms.

The sheriff walks to her favorite chair, taking a deep breath in. It's a few moments before she opens her eyes. They fall on the orchid next to her in instant. Her hands touch it and she can see Caroline right there. She lets out a sigh.

She walks to the stairs with no strength in the world, hands leaning on the wall to hold her together.

Yet another night, no phone calls, no messages. Nothing, but loneliness as she sleeps alone in her own bed.

… …

It's a beautiful morning. Sunlight breaking through the windows and filling the whole kitchen. Loud music echoing around them. His hands work just fine shuffling the pancakes, while he moves his body slightly with the music. She on the other hand, is pouring the chocolate sauce into a bowl next to the strawberries' one. He buries his finger inside the chocolate and closes his eyes as he tastes it. Not a second passes before she nudges him in the elbow, faking a glare at his stupid grin.

She takes the plates and walks to the table, and he follows her with the pancakes. She's about to sink her fork in the pancake before he slaps her hand. He then draws witch's hat with whipped cream on top of it.

"Seriously?" She rolls her eyes with a grin and he shrugs. "Every day I tell you it's stupid."

"And every day I make it anyway."

She shakes her head as she enjoys his smile, big and bright and happy.

… …


	3. Little do you know

**A/N:** I should say something before this chapter cause this is the beginning of 'fun' but I don't know what to say, so whatever. Title inspired from the song 'little do you know' obviously, cause it's the theme song for this chapter. A head of you there's pure Steroline and a bit Bamon. And not to confuse anyone, Bamon parts are the present day while Steroline reaches the present at the very last scene. Enjoy! :))

… …

 _4 months ago._

"Scared?" He whispers.

"No." she says. "I'm with yo-"

It should've been the end; they shouldn't feel anything after that. They shouldn't even exist after that. But it sounds like they are.

She opens her eyes slowly, the light around them is gone, no more wind, no more things going down. But he is not gone. He is still there, holding her. And it is then when she realizes that their position is just a little bit awkward. Yes, they had hugged before, they even drifted to sleep while cuddling together but this feels different. So she pulls away. She looks at him and he is having his broody confused look on its best.

They pull away completely, hands falling to their sides. She looks around her and doesn't notice that his eyes are still on her for some reason.

"That was fast." She mutters.

Minutes later and they are walking through the streets. The night is so quiet.

"This just doesn't make any sense." She says. "On the other side you should see the living, and if we aren't dead then we shouldn't be able to get through Mystic Falls." She says in anger as she starts to ramble.

"Look." He says while staring at something. She turns around and sees the grill in its best statue, as if it wasn't bombed hours ago.

"Seriously?" She lets out a breath.

… …

She is waiting on the town's borders, leaning on the car as she waits for him. She sees his car coming from a distant, when he walks to her, his face is already upset.

"You got it?" She asks.

"Yes, Lexi." Matt hands her the paper, a bit hesitant.

"You know you're doing the right thing, right?"

"No, I don't. I didn't tell anyone about this, not even Jeremy who by the way lives with me in the same house."

"We need this, Matt." She looks straight into his eyes.

"Whatever." He mumbles after a moment.

"Thank you." She says before they both turn around and walk to their cars. But she stops midway, turning around again.

"You're a good friend, Matt." She smiles.

"So are you." He nods turning the smile after a moment.

… …

The sky is turning light blue and they are still walking next to each other.

"Is it just me or the cars are really old?" She asks as she walks closer to him.

"And yet they look brand new." He says. "And that is Elena's house which last time I checked was burned." He looks at her completely baffled face.

Something catches his eyes in the darkness so he walks to the grass and holds a news paper. She stops and looks at him.

"What?" She asks.

"Look." He holds the papers for her.

"Rare solar eclipse expected to be seen across twelve states."

"The date, Caroline."

She looks again.

"May tenth nineteen ninety four." She almost shouts in surprise. She looks up at him and expects to see him freaking out like her but instead he has a calm look.

"Excuse me why are you so calm? We are not just in a deserted island but also we have traveled through space, or time or whatever." She yells at him in utter confusion. He turns around and doesn't say anything and it makes her even angrier. She raises her eyebrows and gets ready for shouting again, but then she's staring at something behind him, eyes wide and lips parted.

"Stefan." She says and he turns around to see nothing but the sun rise. He looks back at her in confusion.

"My ring." She looks down at her empty finger. And in a second he is holding her shoulders and standing in front of her while her back is against a tree. The sunlight doesn't reach her as she stands under the branches.

Her eyebrows get furrowed as she looks down at his hands on her shoulders. She looks up and sees the same confusion on his face. He swallows as he stares at her for a second. His hand moves down from her shoulder to her hand, intertwining their fingers together. He looks down at their hands then back to her eyes. There's a question in his eyes, as if he was asking her for permission, more like wondering if he should do whatever is it in his mind.

He lifts their hands slowly, never breaking the eye contact. She feels a lump in her throat, her head goes fuzzy and she can't think properly. He stretches their hands so it's not under the shadow anymore; instead it is out there under the sun.

She knows what he is doing, yet she doesn't question him. She can't think about anything but his eyes gazing into hers.

However, when two seconds pass without any smell of fire or burning, they look at her hand. He lets out a breath although he is still confused. She pulls her hand from his and steps out of the shadow, standing completely under the sun.

And nothing happens.

From behind, Stefan looks down at his hand. His fingers play with his daylight ring before pulling it. But then his skin turns red and starts to burn. She turns around quickly and looks at him in concern. But as soon as he puts the ring back, everything is fine again.

They stare at each other for a moment before her hand moves to her teeth. She doesn't feel any fangs.

"I'm- I'm not a vampire." She whispers.

He takes a step closer and stops when their bodies are dangerously close.

"I'm gonna try something." He says, looking into her eyes. "Give me your necklace."

She stares back for a moment. "Why?" She asks.

He lets out a breath.

"Wait, did you just use compulsion on me?" She blinks several times, surprised.

"And it didn't work." He says.

She opens her mouth but nothing comes out. She shakes her head as she fails to understand this madness.

"You're not a vampire." He says. "And not a human."

… …

"Where are we going again?" Damon asks as he plays with his ring, looking out of the window.

"I showed you the address, dumbass." Lexi says while driving.

"Yeah and who the hell is the address?" He looks at her with annoyance.

"You'll see."

"Lexiiiii." He rolls his eyes. "Please don't push me to do something I'd regret."

"It's another lead, someone who might be able to help us." She says.

"A witch?"

"Something like that." She changes the subject quickly before he asks for more. "So how is Elena?"

He stares at her for good four seconds, which makes her finally looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"You're asking me about my love life now? What is next? Bonding together and pouring our hearts out to each other?"

"Even Satan wouldn't want that." She shoots back. "I was just saying, I don't see you two together much lately." She raises her eyebrows, eyes on the road.

"Yeah… I've turned into a loner lately." He mumbles, looking back to the road.

"Huh, well, it's such a waist, after fighting so hard to get the girl."

He doesn't reply to that, nor even look at her.

… …

They are at the boarding house, sitting at their chairs in front of the bonfire across each other. He watches her as she remains silent, watching the fire with furrowed eyebrows. Her heart isn't racing like earlier, but it's not calm either. He watches as she bites her fingertips.

"Caroline?"

"Hmm?" She looks up at him and tries to hide her confusion.

He looks at her for a moment, just staring, his lips turning into thin line. He sighs before looking down and holding her hand.

He looks up at her and sees how her eyebrows get back together.

"You feel that?" He says in low voice.

She opens her mouth but says nothing. And he feels bad for making her even more confused. He runs his thump over the back of her hand, as if repeating the question.

"I…" She doesn't continue, blinking several times.

"I'm a vampire… and when you touch me… you feel something." He says ever so slowly, trying to fill her in without scaring her.

The melody of her chuckle echoes through the house, it's nervous and hurts him in some way. He licks his lips, knows that his part is done and now it's on her, to understand and believe.

"This can't be." She shakes her head with a smile, so sure and confident. But then she looks at him and he is serious, he looks at her with no reaction. And then she knows it.

"This can't happen." She says. It's more of a question than a sentence.

"Maybe when Liv did the spell… when you became the anchor instead of Bonnie, maybe she did something wrong and… You switched or something." He says slowly, explaining to himself too.

She opens her mouth to talk but then the words get lost and she stares at the ground. He can see it on her face, the realization sinking in.

He can hear her heart, going unsteady.

"Caroline?" He whispers.

"But if I'm a witch…" The word feels strange on her mouth. "Then Bonnie is…"

She doesn't say it.

… …

"Okay, where is this witch-something-like-that?" Damon says as he looks around the house, Lexi follows him in.

"Not here, obviously." She says.

He turns around and looks at her with raised eyebrows. His face screaming _are you kidding me?_

"Relax, we'll wait for her." Lexi says as she takes a seat on the couch.

"It's a ' _her'_?" He walks around, searching for any photo of the house owner, but he finds nothing. However, he finds bottles of bourbon, he grabs one and two glasses then walks to Lexi.

"Now we're drinking together? What's next? Being drinking bodies?" She scoffs.

He just rolls his eyes and pours her a glass.

… …

He feels the silence filling his ears, everything is so quiet. For the first time in a long time, he misses Damon's voice through the house. He misses him shouting from downstairs, he misses finding him in his room and messing with his journals. It has been only one day and he feels like a stranger. Which makes him grateful that his bed is here, something familiar for him. But it's not the only thing. He hears heartbeats breaking through the silence, Can hear the pulse getting faster.

She is awake.

He suddenly wants to go to her, doesn't want to spend this night alone. He doesn't want her to spend it alone either.

He pushes the cover away and gets up. Once his feet are on the floor, she appears on his door.

"Would you sleep here tonight?" He says as soon as his eyes fall on her, not giving her a chance to ask it first. He didn't think about his words before saying them, yet his mind deleted _with me_ from the script. And for some unknown reason, he is relived.

She bites her lips as she pulls her hand from the door frame, moving inside the room. He watches as her eyes wander around the floor, how she pulls the sleeves of her robe even more till they're covering her hands completely.

He moves from the middle of the bed to the right edge, leaving her enough space, almost all of the bed.

She gets under the cover and smiles once before staring at the ceiling.

"You okay?" He asks as he looks at her.

"Are you?" She looks back. "You're stuck her too." With a raise of her eyebrows she smiles.

"True, but I didn't turn into a witch overnight."

She looks away then, her chest moving up as she takes a deep breath.

"Is it normal if I'm not sure how I feel about this?"

"Of course it is, Caroline. You've been through a lot the past few days; you don't have to figure it out now."

She looks up at him and smiles.

"Well, I was thinking… maybe I should make a list, you know?"

He raises his eyebrows and grins like a fool. "Like advantages and disadvantages list?" He teases her and she mumbles _shut up_ in the middle of her chuckles.

She looks at the ceiling again.

"Okay let's do it."

She looks up at him with confusion. But he seems so interested to do it, so she doesn't argue. Doesn't stop her from throwing one of her _'seriously'_ s.

"Fine." She sighs. "Well, the good things are… "She pauses as she inhales, thinking about it. "I get a chance to live a normal life, grow old, have kids. I don't have to be invited into places." She teases and he rolls his eyes.

"Uh, what else?"

"No blood lust." He says.

"Yeah." She stares at him for a second.

"The bad things are," She looks back at the ceiling. "I'm not strong anymore, no more super hearing. I can't get the woman at the cafeteria to get me my favorite coffee so early. Add to that that pretty soon I'll have wrinkles, along with my old personality. And…" She pauses as she licks her lips. "Bonnie is a vampire."

He sighs, it's loud and tired. Probably because of realizing what he has to deal with, what he has to change her mind about. He is so exhausted that he just wants to click some buttons and convince her of how he sees it.

But there is no such a button, and he is not bothered.

"I think it's clear that the plan went south, but I think you're looking at it the wrong way."

She looks at him with _'oh really'_ look, another evidence that this won't be easy.

"Things aren't that bad, Bonnie is a vampire, yes. But she is alive. And I'm sure she's thankful for that. As for you… well you have me for now. So I think you have to deal with it." He raises his eyebrows and frowns. And she smiles. It's beautiful and genuine and actually reaches her eyes. For a moment he thinks it won't be that difficult.

She nods her head with the same smile, but then she feels something on her hand. She looks down and finds her hand in his own. His fingers find their place between hers and squeezes once.

"We'll get through this, together."

… …

He's gulping down his second glass when they hear the sound of a key opening the door. They both rush over and hide.

Bonnie opens the door absent-minded, eyes barely open. She closes the door and puts her keys on the table, only to find two glasses on it. She feels someone moving behind her, in a second she turns around and rushes whoever it is into the wall.

"Lexi?" She mumbles while her arm is on her throat. Lexi only stands still.

"Hello, Bon-Bon." Damon says from behind.

She grits her teeth, pulling her arm slowly before turning around.

"Damon." She says, eyes travelling between him and the floor.

… …

It's not his first time to cook, not at all. But they weren't many times that he made pancakes. He was never a big fan. But it seemed cheerful for some reason. And since he couldn't get any rainbows or unicorns in the backyard, pancakes were his only option.

Once she gets into the kitchen, he stands still and stops his hips from swaying with the music.

"You're in a good mood." She says with a frown.

"And good morning to you too." He smiles, eyes focusing on the pancakes. "How was your morning?"

"Oh I found Miss cuddlesssss." She squeals.

He looks up to see her hugging a teddy bear into her chest and holding her hands. The smile on her face makes him dizzy for a second.

"I lost it when I was nine." She is pouting now as she turns the bear to her and looks at it. "Ah I missed it." She hugs it with closed eyes.

The sight is quite interesting that he stares for few seconds, mouth open and eyes smiling. Yesterday she was depressed and now she is hugging a teddy bear. He notices something behind her on the table.

"What do you have there?"

She looks back and stands still for a moment.

"Bonnie's grimoir." She mumbles.

She turns around with a big smile and shiny eyes.

"So I've been thinking. What if this is for a reason? What if me being a witch is our ticket outta here."

He opens his mouth but she goes on.

"I mean think about it, if I didn't mess things up and it was Bonnie here, what would she do? Magic. She'd use magic to get out. So that's what I'm gonna do. I mean obviously I don't know how to use magic or anything, but I'm gonna figure it out." She finishes and goes back to beaming.

His lips curve into thin line and before he can say a word. The light around them goes dim. They look at the window to see the sky going dark during another eclipse.

"What the actual…?" She doesn't complete as she stares at the window.

"Caroline, would you look at the date at that paper?" He says, head still up to the sky.

"It says May tenth, nineteen ninety four." She says, swallowing. "Same day as yesterday, we're living the same day all over again."

He shakes his head in confusion.

… …

"Okay." She lets out a breath, hands resting on the kitchen table with the grimoire in front of her, eyes focusing on the candle. "Phasmatos Incendia." She repeats twice, with Stefan looking from behind. She opens her eyes and there's no fire in sight.

He looks away as she groans angrily.

"This isn't working." She shuts the grimoire with anger before he places the pancakes in front of her.

He offers her a smile, which she returns with looking away and letting out a breath.

"We still have time, you know?" He says as he takes a seat in front of her.

"Yeah, well if it was Bonnie she'd figure it out in two days." She looks back at him. "It's been two months and I still can't light a candle let alone get us out of here."

She pauses when she notices that he's busy with something. She looks at his hands and he's decorating her pancake with the same witch's hat.

"What are you doing?" Her voice is serious.

He looks up but doesn't get the chance to answer.

"You can draw as much as you want of these but I still don't know how to use magic and we're still stuck here." She shakes her head. "You're not helping." She says before standing up and leaving.

He lets out a breath and stares at the pancakes.

… …

He finds her half an hour later, hitting some coffee machine in the store.

"What are you doing?" He smiles.

"Coffee." She says without turning around.

"What's wrong with the one I make?" He teases.

She only shrugs.

"Caroline-."

"Stop, Stefan, just stop." She spins around. "Stop comforting me when I'm the one who started all of this." She shouts.

"How is any of this your fault?" He takes a step closer.

"OH, were you sleeping when I ruined everything that night?" She mocks him, hands crossed against her chest.

"You were trying to help."

"No, I was trying to fix something I had no business trying to fix." She shifts in her place. "It's like a textbook definition of control freak from hell."

"Listen, you're an optimist."

She looks away, shaking her head.

"No, and if you think that defending me when I'm wrong makes you so then you are wrong." She says more calmly than before, and then she walks away.

… …

She's sitting in front of the bonfire, her face seems relaxed but from the inside there's anger, anger at herself for taking too much time, but mostly for changing, for losing her thing and her rainbows. She doesn't know how they ended up like this, how she's the one brooding next to the fire and he's the one who has nothing to worry about. Him, she also feels anger for the way she acted with him. She knows he just wanted to help, but that's the thing; she doesn't want his comfort.

Not when all of this is her fault because she couldn't just sit down and let Bonnie do it herself. The worst part is, she knows that if she went back to that night, she would do it again. She would change the plan and do it herself because no she wouldn't stand there and just wait for him to be back. She wouldn't risk it.

At least she's with him now. It's the only thing that is keeping her going. And yet, she doesn't let him know it, instead she ruins everything.

She sighs out of anger and exhaustion and just then she notices him entering the living room. She turns around to look at him but he's not looking. She watches him as he opens one of the boxes, searching between the cylinders before putting one of them on the phonograph.

She looks away when he turns around, but then her eyes wander to him.

He is doing nothing but watching her, hands in his pockets and eyes freely on her. The music starts and it's a soft voice whistling. She thinks she recognizes the song just from the way he smiles.

She smiles too without thinking.

He walks to her, eyes not looking away. And then she knows the song, the voice of _Barry_ _Manilow_ singing _I can't smile without you_ makes her blood rushes.

He spreads his hand to hers and she takes it, lets him pull her away from the chair so they can have more space. She lets him put her hand on his shoulder; she lets him put his hand over her waist and pulls her closer. It's so hard, holding his gaze; she can feel her cheeks burning and her eyes needing to blink. But she doesn't, she just smiles and stares back.

His smile is so beautiful, making his eyes wrinkle. She allows herself to look into his eyes as much as she wants, she had never thought about it much but god they're so beautiful. He is so beautiful, just like the song.

The lyrics make it to her brain even though she can think about nothing but his arms around her. Maybe because the words seem like a message, since she doesn't give him a chance to talk lately.

You know I can't smile without you

I can't smile without you

I can't laugh and I can't sing

I'm finding it hard to do anything

You see I feel sad when you're sad

I feel glad when you're glad

If you only knew what I'm going through

I just can't smile without you

His smile forces her to chuckle, it feels like magic, seeing him happy like that, knowing that she makes him happy like that. He opens her palm and intertwines their fingers. He spins her around, putting her in a position where her back is pressed against him, his chin resting on her shoulder with their hands still intertwined. They sway with the music and she closes her eyes. She had never imagined that she'd live to the day that she hears Stefan Salvatore humming along with a song.

Once the song heats up, he flees her away, stretching his arm before pulling her back. This time he actually sings with the song and she can't stop laughing.

"And you see I can't smile without, I can't smile without you, I can't laugh and I can't sing. I'm finding it hard to do anything."

His face at this moment will never leave her memory, genuine happiness and pure joy. He finally steadies his moves after swaying right and left like a little kid. Only then she lets a breath after laughing so hard. They look at each other for a moment, saying nothing.

"I'm sorry." She says. "For earlier."

"It's okay." He nods with the same smile before pulling her closer.

She rests her head on his shoulder, her fingers losing control and playing on his other shoulder.

"Stefan?"

"Mhm?"

"You're my best friend."

Three seconds pass.

"You're mine, too."

… …

He comes out of the shower with only pants on and a towel on his shoulders. He sees her on his bed, burying her head in one of the books.

"Hey, did you know that witches can put their magic in inanimate?" She asks, eyes still on the book.

Only when she looks up she realizes he is half naked. He has an amused look on his face.

"Oh, sorry." Her eyes widen. Turning around, she rambles. "I was just reading and thought you'd uh-"

"Be decent?" He raises his eyebrows while pulling on some shirt.

"Shut up." She mumbles.

"Come on, get the books off the bed; I wanna sleep." He says, already pulling the covers.

"What? I was just getting to the fun stuff." She protests.

"Come oooon, I wanna sleep, you need some rest too." He's putting the books away now. Then pushing her to sit in the bed, then covering her with the sheets despite all the groans and muffled voices she makes like a little child.

He turns off the lights and gets under the sheets as well, smiling all the while.

"You're kids' biggest nightmare." She mumbles with a pout.

"Good night, kiddo." He nudges her with his elbow, hearing her giggle afterward with closed eyes.

… …

She opens her eyes with a gasp, struggling for air. Her hands put her hair behind as she sits straightو behind as she sits straight. she sits straight. , trying to get rid of those images. She curses herself for having these dreams until now. It has been two months for god's sake, why didn't they stop?

"You okay?" He asks from his place before sitting straight as well.

"Yeah." She mumbles. She feels his hand on her back, a bit hesitant. She takes what she can have from it, which is assurance that he is here. Then his hand is putting her hair away, trying to see her fully.

"We can talk… if you want." He whispers, his voice husky and sleepy.

"No, it's uh, it's nothing." She smiles to lighten the situation but he seems not to be convinced. She looks at him. "I'm fine."

"Okay."

He spends this night thinking if he should hug her or not. There's a voice in his brain yelling at him to lay his arm on her because _you know she can't sleep damn it._ But he feels that it'snow needed to set some boundaries, he's aware that the line between them is no longer straight but rather curvy, and he doesn't know if that's right or wrong.

So he keeps his hands to himself, but he doesn't sleep until he hears her breath going steady again before finally drifting to sleep. His hands then, brush her hair away from her face. And that's the only thing he can do.

He tries not to think about why he needs that line so bad, why does he care? Why can't he just let it be? Why does he need that line? For his own good, he falls asleep before thinking any further.

… …

"What are you doing here?" She asks harshly, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Is that how you greet your friends after four months?" He smirks with raised eyebrows.

"We need you, Bonnie." Lexi says.

"No you don't." She says, walking to the end of the room.

"This isn't life, Bonnie, staying away and living alone." Lexi walks to her.

Bonnie shakes her head. "It's my choice."

"Oh, Lexi, it's her choice, she chose to forget about her best friend dying to save her life and to start over in a brand new town. Who are you to disagree with her?" Damon mocks from behind, walking closer to them.

"You know nothing, Damon." She says through gritted teeth, closing her eyes in anger without turning around.

"Enlighten me then." He raises his eyebrows. "What am I missing? I'd say, maybe I don't know how it feels like to lose someone you love, but I lost my brother."

He walks to her.

"Maybe I don't know how it is like to be a vampire, but I AM A VAMPIRE." His voice goes louder and Lexi shifts in her place as he keeps getting closer.

"Maybe I don't know how is it like, not being able to help people- hold on, YOU CAN HELP US."

"I'M NOT A WITCH ANYMORE, DAMON. I can't help you. Get out of your denial land and face it, I. Can't. Help. You."

"You're not even trying." He shouts back.

"What am I supposed to try? A spill?" She mocks him with raised eyebrows.

"How would Caroline feel, Bonnie? To know that her friends whom she died for has given up on her." He is the one to blame, the way he spits the words and looks at her with disgust only to provoke her. And he gets more than that.

He gets pushed into the wall, both hands on his shoulders to keep him there. But he spins them around, pinning her into the wall instead. Their eyes roar with fire, anger getting the best of them. Before he finds himself at the other end of the room.

He looks up to see Lexi glaring at him after pushing him off Bonnie.

"Okay, let's try this again." She says firmly, turning around to look at Bonnie. "Hi, Bonnie."

"I can't help you, Lexi." She closes her eyes, repeating the same sentence. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"So what's your plan? Spending the rest of your life living alone, hiding, being a useless flesh on bones?" Damon stands up.

"Damon." Lexi warns him.

"Well that would make it two of us." The brunette scoffs. "You're right; I'm no longer your back-up witch, Damon. I can't do locater spills for you anymore. You want my advice? Go find another witch."

She turns around, walks to the kitchen and ignores them.

"Come on, Lexi. We got the wrong address." He says harshly, eyes lingering on her back before storming out of the house.

Lexi lets out a breath; her plan was a bit different than that.

"Listen, Bonnie. I know that it's tough, and I know that I'd never know how it feels like. But, we lost two people that we can't just leave behind, I believe that we can get them back, and I'm sure that at some point, you believed that too." She shakes her head.

"It's just- I know this isn't right."

She walks out then, And Bonnie keeps staring at the sink.

… …

"Stefan?"

"Mhm?"

"You're awake?"

"No."

"Funny."

She pauses a while, before turning to sleep on her side and face him.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

She raises her eyebrows, and although it's dark and he can't see her face and he is not even looking, he knows.

"Damon." He sighs. "I'm thinking about Damon, wondering… what is her doing right now."

She swallows, thinking about it too.

"He either lost hope and fell apart again, maybe turned it off or… he's still trying." He pauses, licking his lips. "And I'm not sure which is worse."

She can feel the heaviness in his words, can imagine how such a thing is a burden on him. She looks down; every possible thing she could say to make him feel better turns out to be bad.

"It's been four months." She mumbles. "That's a lot of time, maybe they moved on… maybe we should, too."

He looks at her then, eyebrows furrowed.

"Everyone has a break point, Stefan." She says.

"What do you mean?"

"How long are we supposed to keep trying before giving up?" She whispers, knows that her words are scary.

"There's no giving up, Caroline." He says, a bit harshly.

She just sighs and looks away.

"There're people waiting for you there, there's your mother and your friends. You can't just turn your back to that."

"I'm just tired." She lets out a breath.

"As long as you have hope, it's okay."

"What if I lost hope?" She snaps, putting it there, trying not to care about him or his reaction. The strength built in her falls apart when she sees his eyes, shining as the moon light hits them from the window behind her. But shining with hurt.

She never felt the need to be strong and a whole just for someone, not for herself but because she can't stand letting them see her weak, because it's like shattering them.

It happens now, the look on his face. She can see something breaking in his eyes. She lets out a heavy breath.

"How about more four months? Another four months and then, if there's nothing to try… we do it together, we end it together." She whispers, her voice heavy.

He swallows, clinching his jaw and daring her to hold his gaze, and she fails.

"Okay."

She looks up at him, and she suddenly wants to take it back. She doesn't like it now, the way he just agrees with her. Maybe she wanted him to be stubborn; maybe she wanted him to be her anchor.

She smiles, despite of her she does. She just loves that face. She moves closer, leaning down a bit so her head rests on his chest. He puts his arm under her, pulling the covers on them.

He stares at the ceiling while his hand strokes her hair back and forth. Clinching his jaw, he feels his eyes watering, but the tears never fall. It shouldn't have been like this, she was supposed to be stronger.

He was supposed to be enough.

He holds her closer, gritting his teeth even harder.

This is not how it goes down. Caroline Forbes won't lose all hope and die in a world they don't know.

He just won't let it happen.

… …

 **A/N2** : This is the part where you share your opinion! :D

لاf brborn finds bottels od for any photo of the house owner, but he finds nothing. raised house."


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